Nimrod Nkosi talks about his role in Showmax’s legal series Law, Love and Betrayal

Showmax has just unveiled the trailer for legal drama Law, Love and Betrayal (LLB), premiering on Thursday, 5 September. Alongside familiar faces like Dineo Rasedile and Pearl Modiadie, the trailer gives us our first glimpse of Nimrod Nkosi as Gatsha Gumede, the founder of Gumede & Associates, where a succession battle is brewing.

For over three decades, Nimrod has captivated audiences as the host of iconic TV shows, like Jam Alley, Live Lotto Draw, and more recently uTatakho. In addition to presenting, he’s also had standout acting roles in series like Isibaya, The Queen, and The Estate. 

Xabiso Ngqabe sat down with Nimrod to find out more about his role in LLB. 

Tell us about your new character.

Gatsha Gumede is a man who has achieved a lot in life. He came from a difficult background but pursued his education and studied law. He rose in that environment and eventually opened his own law firm. Starting small, he built it up until Gumede and Associates was formed. 

Gatsha is an expert in constitutional law. He goes to court primarily to clear up messes and facilitate takeovers. If there’s a case he wants and he knows the judge, his presence alone indicates the likely outcome. 

Why a legal series?

I grew up watching law-inspired movies like To Kill A Mockingbird and shows like LA Law, Matlock, Chicago Law, and Boston Legal. When I was 11 years old, these were the shows I watched. They still are: recently, I watched an HBO series called The Night Of, starring John Turturro, who plays a brilliant lawyer. 

Are there certain characters who inspired this role? 

Drawing inspiration from actors like Blair Underwood in LA Law, who was the only black actor on the show, was helpful. 

I also have friends who are lawyers, who explained that the courtroom dynamics differ in South Africa. Here, actors must rely on facial expressions and gestures more than movement. Ultimately, 80% of the performance must come from within the actor.

There’s a company called Dramatec, an acting consultancy founded by my co-star Anelisa Phewa. This coaching helped to give my character an extra layer.

Gatsha has a complex relationship with his children, who in some cases are also his employees. As a father yourself, what parenting advice would you give your character?

I would tell him, ‘My brother, just chill a little bit. The lottery of birth is amazing; you’ll never give birth to someone exactly like you.’ 

Even though they say an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, which is true, he hates that saying. He is driven and wants to see his children thrive in a powerful environment, but he forgets that they are not necessarily driven by the same forces that motivated him. 

I’d say, ‘Let the children express themselves and their talents.’ You can spend years trying to impress or please your parents, but those are years you’ll never get back if you don’t try to be yourself. Yes, discipline is important, and life isn’t always rosy, but it’s not all about thorns either. You have to find a balance. 

Also, comparing kids and pitting them against each other is something I would advise him against.

In a parallel universe, do you think you and Gatsha would ever be friends?

Yes. I like men of power and stature, but I prefer quiet power. Ostentatious power is not my thing. I like to arrive in a room and have everyone know I am there. If Morgan Freeman were to walk in, his presence would be felt before he even says a word. The same goes for Denzel Washington; he owns the room, even in scenes where he is quiet, like in The Equalizer. Having a dad like Gatsha would be cool because he would keep you driven and on your toes. I’d hang around with him. If I needed someone to be put in their place, I’d call Gatsha. When Gatsha Gumede is on the phone, everything gets sorted.

What was the most challenging part of playing Gatsha?

I needed guidance on why he is such an angry man. 

He has achieved a lot, and men like him have seen and done things that weigh heavy on their minds. You can imagine the cases he has handled and things that burden him. 

But the process was to find out what exactly bothers him this much. 

Naturally, I’m not an angry person. I love people. I hug a lot. This was part of the discussion that I must depart from Nimrod because I’m too sweet. My process was always, when I’m with Pearl, I’d say, ‘Dude, I’m gonna go in on you today.’ But we are also taught to let go of that character and not take it home. 

The difficult part was being rude and cutting people short. Saying things like, ‘Get out of my way’; ‘Where’s my tea?’; ‘ There’s no blue cheese’. He’s that fussy. He’s quite different from me. Yes, I have high standards, but I’m not a cutthroat type of guy, even on set.

What’s that one aspect about LLB that sets it apart from other locally produced shows?

Showmax has upped the game in the quality of production value, which is a big plus. Secondly, the story is enticing. It’s set in the glitz and glamour world of law, generational wealth, and scheming, making it unique. The aspirational element raises the bar – pun not intended. 

What are you most excited about regarding the show?

I’m excited that it’s on Showmax. Growing up in the industry, we could not have imagined that streaming would be like this. We always knew the game would change, but we didn’t know how. Now we have a streaming service like Showmax, and I’m still here. I’m very fortunate to be at the advent of the new definition of our pop culture. It’s truly a blessing to be here. 

This being my first Showmax Original, I’m excited! Showmax is available across Africa, so I can go to Ghana, and people will recognise me. It gives an actor a bigger platform to be appreciated and possibly create work elsewhere. 

Watch Law, Love and Betrayal from 5 September 2024, with new episodes streaming every Thursday onwards.

Fact Box:

Born and bred: Bergville, KwaZulu Natal

Birthday: 22 March 1972

Languages: IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Swati, TshiVenda and English

The craziest request from a fan: When Nimrod Nkosi was presenting Lottery SA, fans would often try to hug him, thinking it would bring them luck and help them win. Someone even plucked out his hair in public and ran away. Occasionally, winners would approach him, wanting to send him money to thank him, believing he was the reason for their win.

Currently watching on Showmax: “I’m watching Empini. I follow Siyabonga Thwala, one of the leading men, and Nambitha Ben-Mazwi. I’m also watching Rosemary’s Hitlist. I love true-crime documentaries because I learn so much from them. Recently, I also watched Tracking Thabo Bester.”

Watch the trailer for LLB